I chose Annika..it's a great strong name. I don't think it's a mouthful with your surname.
I know of a couple of Annika's now varying ages. One in pronounced Arnika and the Annika..I don't mind either of the prounonciations and neither of them have their name shortened.

I'd be inclined to pronounce Eliana as Ee-lane-ah but Elliana as Ellie-ar-nah. From the abbreviations you are suggesting I think you're pronouncing them as Ellie-anna which fits too. I guess with the one L I sort of miss the I in Eliana so I prefer it spelt with two Ls.

I do prefer Elliana to Annika- I think its a prettier, more youthful name (but I know some older Annikas).

Ok I feel like a total goose. But I'm back on Annika. I think we're 99.9% decided that her name will actually be Annika Shaelin "Lock". I think Elliana is so pretty but I just keep coming back to Annika despite everything! I think i've trawled every single baby names website known to man in the last few days and so my due diligence is done

Thanks for all the suggestions and contributions, and hopefully I don't do this again before she's born!! (and if I do, just tell me to go away and stick to Annika ).

we are having a girl...but DH and I have settled on a different name....it's all secret squirrel lol! but that said, if we look at her and she isnt the name we chose we will go back to the drawing board lol!

Belfie - we just named our (now three week old) daughter Annika - and we had so much trouble thinking of girls names. She was nearly a week old when we finally named her, I think she chose her own name because it wasn't something we'd even considered before she was born.

Annika vs Eliana?

Ok... Another name to think about is
Elani.... I used to work with a girl whose parents couldn't decide between two names so combined the two and came up with Elani. It's a beautiful name and never gets shortened..

Ok... Another name to think about is
Elani.... I used to work with a girl whose parents couldn't decide between two names so combined the two and came up with Elani. It's a beautiful name and never gets shortened..

I actually thought of that one but DH just hated it in that irrational man-name-hating way that they sometimes get (cos I'm never irrational, doncha know )
I also really like Elka but he also vetoed that one. I think Elkanah is really interesting but think my head is stuck on Annika still now.

Liana is interesting but is also the name of my women's physio... so when I think of it, I think pelvic floor muscles!